diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index beca0990122..9f03f83ae9b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 - Added more customization options to `EuiAvatar` ([#903](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/903))
 - Added more color options to `EuiButtonIcon` ([#907](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/907))
 - Added icon for EMS (Elastic Map Service) (`emsApp`) ([#914](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/914))
+- Added support for `href`, `target`, and `rel` properties for `EuiContextMenu` items ([#911](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/911))
 
 **Bug fixes**
 
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/context_menu/context_menu.js b/src-docs/src/views/context_menu/context_menu.js
index addba409211..9c8236262ca 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/context_menu/context_menu.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/context_menu/context_menu.js
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ export default class extends Component {
 
     const panelTree = {
       id: 0,
-      title: 'View options',
+      title: 'This is a context menu',
       items: [{
-        name: 'Show fullscreen',
+        name: 'Handle an onClick',
         icon: (
           <EuiIcon
             type="search"
@@ -47,19 +47,20 @@ export default class extends Component {
         ),
         onClick: () => { this.closePopover(); window.alert('Show fullscreen'); },
       }, {
-        name: 'Share this dashboard',
+        name: 'Go to a link',
+        icon: 'user',
+        href: 'http://elastic.co',
+        target: '_blank',
+      }, {
+        name: 'Nest panels',
         icon: 'user',
         panel: {
           id: 1,
-          title: 'Share this dashboard',
+          title: 'Nest panels',
           items: [{
             name: 'PDF reports',
             icon: 'user',
             onClick: () => { this.closePopover(); window.alert('PDF reports'); },
-          }, {
-            name: 'CSV reports',
-            icon: 'user',
-            onClick: () => { this.closePopover(); window.alert('CSV reports'); },
           }, {
             name: 'Embed code',
             icon: 'user',
@@ -96,10 +97,6 @@ export default class extends Component {
             onClick: () => { this.closePopover(); window.alert('Permalinks'); },
           }],
         },
-      }, {
-        name: 'Edit / add panels',
-        icon: 'user',
-        onClick: () => { this.closePopover(); window.alert('Edit / add panels'); },
       }, {
         name: 'You can add a tooltip',
         icon: 'user',
diff --git a/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap b/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap
index d8d41821feb..b5c90e2a3f5 100644
--- a/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap
@@ -71,6 +71,23 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props hasPanel is rendered 1`] = `
 </button>
 `;
 
+exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props href renders a link 1`] = `
+<a
+  aria-label="aria-label"
+  class="euiContextMenuItem testClass1 testClass2"
+  data-test-subj="test subject string"
+  href="url"
+>
+  <span
+    class="euiContextMenu__itemLayout"
+  >
+    <span
+      class="euiContextMenuItem__text"
+    />
+  </span>
+</a>
+`;
+
 exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props icon is rendered 1`] = `
 <button
   class="euiContextMenuItem"
@@ -88,3 +105,57 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props icon is rendered 1`] = `
   </span>
 </button>
 `;
+
+exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props onClick renders a button 1`] = `
+<button
+  aria-label="aria-label"
+  class="euiContextMenuItem testClass1 testClass2"
+  data-test-subj="test subject string"
+  type="button"
+>
+  <span
+    class="euiContextMenu__itemLayout"
+  >
+    <span
+      class="euiContextMenuItem__text"
+    />
+  </span>
+</button>
+`;
+
+exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props rel is rendered 1`] = `
+<a
+  aria-label="aria-label"
+  class="euiContextMenuItem testClass1 testClass2"
+  data-test-subj="test subject string"
+  href="url"
+  rel="help"
+>
+  <span
+    class="euiContextMenu__itemLayout"
+  >
+    <span
+      class="euiContextMenuItem__text"
+    />
+  </span>
+</a>
+`;
+
+exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props target is rendered 1`] = `
+<a
+  aria-label="aria-label"
+  class="euiContextMenuItem testClass1 testClass2"
+  data-test-subj="test subject string"
+  href="url"
+  rel="noopener noreferrer"
+  target="_blank"
+>
+  <span
+    class="euiContextMenu__itemLayout"
+  >
+    <span
+      class="euiContextMenuItem__text"
+    />
+  </span>
+</a>
+`;
diff --git a/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_panel.test.js.snap b/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_panel.test.js.snap
index ac3c16cefdd..ff0f3034929 100644
--- a/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_panel.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_panel.test.js.snap
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
   <div className=\\"euiContextMenuPanel\\" onKeyDown={[Function]} tabIndex=\\"0\\" onAnimationEnd={[Function]}>
     <div>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={0} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={0}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={0}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option A
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
         </button>
       </EuiContextMenuItem>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={1} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={1}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={1}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option B
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
   <div className=\\"euiContextMenuPanel\\" onKeyDown={[Function]} tabIndex=\\"0\\" onAnimationEnd={[Function]}>
     <div>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={0} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={0}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={0}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option A
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
         </button>
       </EuiContextMenuItem>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={1} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={1}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={1}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option B
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
   <div className=\\"euiContextMenuPanel\\" onKeyDown={[Function]} tabIndex=\\"0\\" onAnimationEnd={[Function]}>
     <div>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={0} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={0}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={0}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option A
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
         </button>
       </EuiContextMenuItem>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={1} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={1}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={1}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option B
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
   <div className=\\"euiContextMenuPanel\\" onKeyDown={[Function]} tabIndex=\\"0\\" onAnimationEnd={[Function]}>
     <div>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={2} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={2}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={2}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option A
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuPanel updating items and content updates to items should
         </button>
       </EuiContextMenuItem>
       <EuiContextMenuItem data-counter={3} toolTipPosition=\\"right\\" buttonRef={[Function: bound ]}>
-        <button className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" disabled={[undefined]} data-counter={3}>
+        <button disabled={[undefined]} className=\\"euiContextMenuItem\\" type=\\"button\\" data-counter={3}>
           <span className=\\"euiContextMenu__itemLayout\\">
             <span className=\\"euiContextMenuItem__text\\">
               Option B
diff --git a/src/components/context_menu/_context_menu_item.scss b/src/components/context_menu/_context_menu_item.scss
index 1f4477a7d52..8d2e4f6724f 100644
--- a/src/components/context_menu/_context_menu_item.scss
+++ b/src/components/context_menu/_context_menu_item.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 .euiContextMenuItem {
+  display: block;
   padding: $euiSizeM;
   width: 100%;
   text-align: left;
diff --git a/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.js b/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.js
index e54a77079d6..2e230d37b53 100644
--- a/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.js
+++ b/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import classNames from 'classnames';
 import { EuiIcon } from '../icon';
 import { EuiToolTip } from '../tool_tip';
 
+import { getSecureRelForTarget } from '../../services';
+
 export class EuiContextMenuItem extends Component {
   static propTypes = {
     children: PropTypes.node,
@@ -35,6 +37,9 @@ export class EuiContextMenuItem extends Component {
      * Dictates the position of the tooltip.
      */
     toolTipPosition: PropTypes.string,
+    href: PropTypes.string,
+    target: PropTypes.string,
+    rel: PropTypes.string,
   };
 
   render() {
@@ -49,6 +54,9 @@ export class EuiContextMenuItem extends Component {
       toolTipTitle,
       toolTipContent,
       toolTipPosition,
+      href,
+      target,
+      rel,
       ...rest
     } = this.props;
 
@@ -90,24 +98,48 @@ export class EuiContextMenuItem extends Component {
       'euiContextMenuItem-isDisabled': disabled,
     });
 
-    const button = (
-      <button
-        className={classes}
-        type="button"
-        ref={buttonRef}
-        disabled={disabled}
-        {...rest}
-      >
-        <span className="euiContextMenu__itemLayout">
-          {iconInstance}
-          <span className="euiContextMenuItem__text">
-            {children}
-          </span>
-          {arrow}
+    const buttonInner = (
+      <span className="euiContextMenu__itemLayout">
+        {iconInstance}
+        <span className="euiContextMenuItem__text">
+          {children}
         </span>
-      </button>
+        {arrow}
+      </span>
     );
 
+    let button;
+    // <a> elements don't respect the `disabled` attribute. So if we're disabled, we'll just pretend
+    // this is a button and piggyback off its disabled styles.
+    if (href && !disabled) {
+      const secureRel = getSecureRelForTarget(target, rel);
+
+      button = (
+        <a
+          className={classes}
+          href={href}
+          target={target}
+          rel={secureRel}
+          ref={buttonRef}
+          {...rest}
+        >
+          {buttonInner}
+        </a>
+      );
+    } else {
+      button = (
+        <button
+          disabled={disabled}
+          className={classes}
+          type="button"
+          ref={buttonRef}
+          {...rest}
+        >
+          {buttonInner}
+        </button>
+      );
+    }
+
     if (toolTipContent) {
       return (
         <EuiToolTip
diff --git a/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.test.js b/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.test.js
index 5d325a7477e..9346c186fab 100644
--- a/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.test.js
+++ b/src/components/context_menu/context_menu_item.test.js
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ describe('EuiContextMenuItem', () => {
       </EuiContextMenuItem>
     );
 
-    expect(component)
-      .toMatchSnapshot();
+    expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
 
   describe('props', () => {
@@ -24,8 +23,7 @@ describe('EuiContextMenuItem', () => {
           <EuiContextMenuItem icon={<span className="euiIcon fa-user" />} />
         );
 
-        expect(component)
-          .toMatchSnapshot();
+        expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
       });
     });
 
@@ -35,12 +33,19 @@ describe('EuiContextMenuItem', () => {
           <EuiContextMenuItem disabled />
         );
 
-        expect(component)
-          .toMatchSnapshot();
+        expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
       });
     });
 
     describe('onClick', () => {
+      test('renders a button', () => {
+        const component = render(
+          <EuiContextMenuItem {...requiredProps} onClick={() => {}} />
+        );
+
+        expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
+      });
+
       test(`isn't called upon instantiation`, () => {
         const onClickHandler = sinon.stub();
 
@@ -76,6 +81,36 @@ describe('EuiContextMenuItem', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('href', () => {
+      test('renders a link', () => {
+        const component = render(
+          <EuiContextMenuItem {...requiredProps} href='url' />
+        );
+
+        expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('rel', () => {
+      test('is rendered', () => {
+        const component = render(
+          <EuiContextMenuItem {...requiredProps} href='url' rel='help' />
+        );
+
+        expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('target', () => {
+      test('is rendered', () => {
+        const component = render(
+          <EuiContextMenuItem {...requiredProps} href='url' target='_blank' />
+        );
+
+        expect(component).toMatchSnapshot();
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('hasPanel', () => {
       test('is rendered', () => {
         const component = render(